India’s Dam Release Floods Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
A sudden surge in the Jhelum River’s water level has caused panic and chaos in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Local authorities in PoK blame India for releasing water from the Uri Dam without any prior warning on Saturday.
This abrupt release triggered a water emergency in Hattian Bala district, forcing people living along the riverbanks to flee to higher ground. Authorities in Muzaffarabad, PoK’s capital, and Chakoti used loudspeakers to warn residents and urge them to evacuate as the water levels rose rapidly.
One resident, Muhammad Asif, described the situation saying, “We had no warning. The water came rushing in, and we’re struggling to protect lives and property.”
Pakistani authorities are condemning the move, calling it a violation of international norms and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). This treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, aims to regulate the sharing of water from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. India suspended its obligations under the IWT in April following a terror attack in Pahalgam.
Moderate flooding has been reported in low-lying areas of Kohala and Dhalkot in PoK, with unconfirmed reports of livestock losses and damage to crops.
The PoK government is accusing India of “water terrorism”, emphasizing the lack of prior notification as a breach of the IWT. The treaty requires both nations to share information about water releases to prevent harm downstream.
In PoK, the immediate focus is on protecting residents. The Hattian Bala administration has set up temporary shelters and mobilized rescue teams. District commissioner Bilal Ahmed said, “We’re doing all we can, but the scale of this crisis is overwhelming.”
Authorities have urged residents to stay away from riverbanks and avoid activities like fishing or grazing livestock near the water. Meanwhile, Indian officials have remained silent on the matter, neither confirming nor denying the release. Some Indian media outlets, however, claim the discharge was a routine dam operation necessary due to heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir.
